The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-04
ANOTHER GUSHER OF GAS
A Well Of Great Power Discovered at
Greenfield Yesterday Morning.
The Remarkable Boom that Natural Gas Has
Developed at Muncie, Where There Are
Now Six Wells-At Other Towns.

The popular belief that natural gas will ult-
mately be found near Indianapolis was very
materially strengthened yesterday by the news
that strong flow of gas had been found at
Greenfield at depth of 9S3 feet. The report
spread about the city with the lightning rapidity
that characterizes the travel of natural gas in
formation, and there were many eager inquiries
for more definite knowledge about the new and
important discovery
telegram to the Journal from Greenfield
states that the drill stopped at 9s5 feet, and
when taken from the we'll, gas gushed forth with
such terrific force that rock and water were
thrown from the bottom of the well to the tor
of the derrick. 1t is claimed that the well is
stronger than any of the first discoveries at Ko-
konno, Noblesville or Muncie. and it
is believed that it will be a gusher
of great power when it is shot
1t has been determined to drill five feet more,
with the hope Of developing sufficient pressure
for supplying this city, and already there IS
much talk among the capitalists who are turning
their attention TO natural gas about laying pipe
line from Greenfield. A number of persons will
probably 90 TO Greenfield to-day to view the
we'll
1t is expected that the Indanapo-
lis company will strike Trenton rock
at Broad Ripple about next Saturday. The
confidently believed by the directors that gas
will be found, as already some traces of it have
been discovered by the drillers.
A gentleman from Plainfield states that the
naturalgas company of that place is about
ready TO begin drilling The derrick and all
necessary appliances were received Monday and
are being put in position. Work will begin Sat
urday.
The really valuable article bye Prof. E. T.
Cox in the Journal of Monday. on the all-aosorb
ing question Of natural gas will correct many of
the wild and semi-scientific opinions which have
been suggested said Prof j. l.. Campbell. the
well-kDown Indiana scientist, yesterday I'm
further standardization of the theory of cavities
and assures MS against the porous-rock hypothe-
sis. il may be worth while to consider the facts
concerning the later Carboniferous formations.
and reasonably TO infer that the same results
were probable in the Trenton and other OF the
older formations in which oil and gas
being discovered. Mammoth and Wyandotte
caves cavities in the Subcarboniferous lime
stone, doubtless the results of water action
the long-ago ages. when the streams which cut
these channels possessed volume and power
represented by anything which remains.
Everyone acquainted with well digging in south
ern Indiana knows that it is necessary to strike
a vein. otherwise the well will be failure.
Every limestone quarry in the State dscloses
numerous assures, so that it may be stated,
general rule, that limestone deposits always have
these veins. assures or cavities Now what
stones may also be of the De-
woman, and proper description of
these hidden rocks would be but repetition of
those nearer the surface. The Devonian rocks
in Indiana probably have their assures and
caves in the greatest abundance-not limited to
any belt" but found like the stone itself in
every portion of the State. In this we have the
first hopeful condition relative obtaining the
oil or gas in any locality. In the second place.
these universally distributed veins or assures
would be the natural reservoirs for the freed
liquid gaseous materials which any chemical
action might produce in the everything strata
Wherever the generating agencies have been
now present it will be possible to obtain tn e
oil or gas: but in the present ignorance of the
source of these products determine
the belt or territory where they will be found.
The frequent failures TO find gas in the territory
where il is known exist only similar the
failures to get water in any of the counties in
the southern part of the State aud these
failures are no evidence that good
veins may not be struck few
rods away from the points of failure.
If this theory be true, the limits of the terri
tory will be approximately determined by the
failure generally Of the search wide ex-
tent of territory and not by few failures in a
limited area The deep we'll at Bloomington is
not conclusive as to Monroe county being out
side the ''beit'-nor is the feeble flow at Bright
wood any evidence that the edge is found there.
In localities like Muncie and Noblesville the
assures are large, and have more the nature of
basins, but gushing vein is quite as likely to be
found in other places-like the great springs
which burst from the hllsides in the limestone
section of the State.
THE facts sufficient yet to warrant any
determination of the gas territory, and the eff
forts to obtain the coveted article should be
tinued in all parts of the State"